Novato man accused of stealing $380,000 from Pearl Jam

Prosecutors in Seattle, Wash., have accused a 54-year-old Novato man of embezzling at least $380,000 from the grunge rock band Pearl Jam and its manager while he handled finances for the group.

Rickey Goodrich of Novato is set to be arraigned June 28 on 33 counts of theft at King County Superior Court in Seattle. He has not been arrested, but if convicted he faces up to 4.75 years in prison, a spokesman for the King County prosecutor's office said.

Goodrich is accused of stealing at least $380,000 from 2007-10 while handling finances for the band's touring operations, fan club and management company.

He did not return a call seeking comment.

Goodrich was hired in 2005 by Pearl Jam Touring Co. to serve as the tour accountant and in-house CFO for all band entities, according to a Seattle Police Department investigation report filed along with the charges in court this month.

While living in Novato, Goodrich worked for the band until 2009, when he was removed for producing "a series of late and incomplete accounting," according to the report. Goodrich returned briefly in 2010 to fill in for the band's regular tour accountant, who was not available.

While working for the band, Goodrich made dozens of unauthorized payments, transfers and credit card purchases, mostly using funds from Curtis Management, the company of band manager, Kelly Curtis.

"We are deeply saddened by this situation," Curtis said in a statement. "We referred this matter to the Prosecuting Attorney's Office almost 18 months ago and are looking forward to a resolution."

The transactions, discovered in an internal investigation completed in October 2010, included $141,940 in payments for Goodrich's personal expenses and $133,859 in unauthorized purchases using Curtis Management and Pearl Jam Touring Co. credit cards, according to police.

Among the purchases detailed in the report were $20,000 in plane tickets, $8,000 at the St. Regis Monarch Beach Resort in Dana Point and $6,500 in bulk wine purchases.

The first incidents of financial irregularities occurred in 2005, but Goodrich provided "plausible explanations" that were accepted because of his "position of trust and responsibility," according to police.

Suspicions increased in 2010 when Goodrich returned to the organization as a fill-in tour accountant. Goodrich recorded $15,000 in "road cash" payments — $3,000 to each of the five members of Pearl Jam — but when asked about the money, band member Mike McCready said he had never received a payment.

Goodrich later said the money was used for bonuses for the crew, but he repaid the money after the crew disputed his claim.

After he was confronted by investigating accountants about at least $380,000 in funds believed to have been misappropriated, Goodrich "admitted to owing just over $300,000" but denied responsibility for other suspicious transactions, police said.